Rock River Valley Insider: Making school lunches healthy, affordable

Are you wracking your brain trying to come up with something for your child’s lunchbox that is healthy and affordable and, even more important, that he will actually eat?

INSIDE: More ideas online

Geri Nikolai

BELOW: More ideas online

Are you wracking your brain trying to come up with something for your child’s lunchbox that is healthy and affordable and, even more important, that he will actually eat?

Here are some ideas from experts, but they come with a warning: Healthy eating habits begin at home. If your child has existed on chips and Popsicles this summer, a healthy school lunch will be a shock to his system and psyche.

If your child is not usually a healthy eater, start serving wholesome foods now and explain why the family diet is changing.

Lots of websites can help you find the words. Just search “healthy family meals.”

Renita Weiskircher, director of nutrition services for the Rockford School District, offers these tips:

— Make sandwiches with whole-grain bread, pack a fresh fruit and vegetable, and include unflavored milk.

— Pack lunches in an insulated bag to keep cold foods cold and fresh for lunchtime.

— If you’re packing juice, be sure it’s 100 percent juice.

— Try to keep things easy to eat. An orange cut into quarters is far more likely to be eaten than a whole orange needing to be peeled.

— Aim for variety. Avoid too many similar colors, textures or food groups.

— Get your kids involved in making their lunches the night before. It’s a great way for you to learn more about their preferences and for you to explain how to make good decisions regarding portion sizes and calories.

Now, doing all that on a budget requires some money savvy from Mom or Dad.

— Use peanut butter creatively, not just in sandwiches. Send it along as a dip for sliced apples or celery.

— Watch for sales and buy a lot when favorite items are on sale. Some foods can be frozen for months.

— Buy fresh fruit when it is in season. The rest of the year, watch for sales on canned or frozen.

— Some websites (Amazon among them) sell items like juice boxes, chips and fruit snacks. There are some good prices; just watch out for shipping costs.

Don’t take health concerns so far that you overlook your child’s food preferences. Remember, you’re not at school to watch what he eats. He can trade that bag of carrots for a Twinkie, or just dump it, and you’ll be none the wiser.

So work within his likes and dislikes. Be creative.

— Nuts are healthy. Include a small bag of his favorite nuts one day.

— Use wraps instead of bread for sandwiches.

— Send a bean dip with the healthiest chips you can find.

More ideas online
There are dozens of websites about healthy lunches for kids. Renita Weiskircher, director of nutrition services for the Rockford School District, recommends choosemyplate.gov, which has resources for parents and kids.